Getting the last grain
Jan 23, 2020
MONROE & CROWLEY, LA & WINNIE, TX -- The last few days in the south have been cool with intermittent rain showers, and since no one wants to be in the fields when it’s not productive, several grower events around Louisiana and southeast Texas have enjoyed big crowds, because let’s face it, this time of year it’s better to be inside than out.
This past weekend, USA Rice, the Louisiana Rice Council, and the Louisiana Rice Growers Association joined the North East Louisiana Rice Growers (NELA) for the NELA Ag Expo in Monroe. The annual Expo combines a trade show with local 4-H and Future Farmers of America events, and USA Rice staffs a booth here every year offering tasty samples of red beans and rice, and giveaway bags of Certified LA jasmine rice. Local rice farmer and Expo regular Jimmy Hoppe was part of the promotion team (although he says he’s retired!), reconnecting with old friends, and as always, promoting LA Rice to the young and old the best way he knows how, by getting folks to try it.
This week, the Acadia Rice Growers Association held their annual meeting in Crowley to hear updates from USA Rice as well as the latest information about the local rice industry, including a status report on the Supreme Rice Mills expansion at their Crowley location. Supreme Rice’s John Morgan also shared a look back on the previous year’s crop and what factors may be in store for the 2020 season.
To close out the week, the South East Texas Rice industry held its SETX Rice Symposium in Winnie to discuss a variety of topics including the USA Rice/Ducks Unlimited Partnership; U.S. Department of Agriculture reports; variety, disease, and pest recommendations for the 2020 crop; a Texas Rice Council update; and feral hog control.
While growers always look for optimum weather, they also know the best way to take advantage of bad weather is to stay informed on the latest industry news.